A Flaw in the System
by unoriginalfangirl
Summary: Red John might be gone, but he isn't done yet. He's left behind a new challenge for Jane and Lisbon, to destroy the secret society that he so loyally belonged to.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is the very first fic that I've ever posted on . My only hope is that someone actually reads it.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Mentalist

A Flaw in the System

Teresa Lisbon has never been more relived that the work week is over. She sighs and tosses her mail on the table in her quaint apartment. The usual bill, bills, and more bills sit in a lopsided stack with next to yesterday's mail. She does however, notice something a bit different. There is a letter with no return address hidden beneath the paper tower. Lisbon never receives anything other than bills, so this one definitely sparks her interest. She takes it with her when she moves to sit on the couch and relax. Upon opening it a look of horror spreads across her face. No. It couldn't be. The paper is marked with a familiar red smiley face. Lisbon wastes no time in dialing Jane's number.

"Hello Lisbon! What are you up to on this fine evening?" he asks.

"Jane I don't have time for small talk. I don't care where you are or what you're doing; you need to come over right now," she replied. With that she hung up on him. She paced around her apartment while she waited for Jane to arrive. This couldn't be Red John; it was highly improbable. Red John was dead, and Jane was the one who had killed him.

"Lisbon, I'm here. What's the," Jane paused when he saw the opened letter on the coffee table, "matter."

"It's Red John. He sent me a letter, and I think you should read it." Lisbon handed the letter to a flustered Jane.

_Dear Miss Lisbon and Mister Jane,_

_ I know that one day our game will end, and you will be free to continue your meager existence. Before you are truly free there are some pieces of the puzzle you must put together. I'm not alone in this game, and the William Blake Society is not my only resource. I have followers yes, but they are a part of a grander plan. That plan is known as The System. The System is a society of powerful people, destined for greater things. Unfortunately for you I'm not the head. If I were to be in charge, it would've crumbled following my demise. The society is run by one who dictates all. There is no backup plan, so to speak. Everything is decided by said dictator to ensure that no uprisings will occur.  
There are only two above me, but there are many below me. I've entrusted an important associate with many more letters, each one revealing more about The System. This way the members will be brought down in a legal and public way. I have faith that the two of you will bring the society down, because if there's anything I've learned from a life of crime it's that there is always a flaw in the system. I'm not going to simply fade away into the sunset. No, this is the perfect ending to my legacy. Even in death I shall exceed all._

_Red John_

"Lisbon, I have to do as the letter says. I must find the flaw in the system."

"You mean we have to find the flaw in the system. The letter is for both of us, and I'm not letting you do this alone. You've shut me out too many times when it comes to Red John. We do this together, and that is final."

"You can't be serious, Lisbon. I'm not putting you in harm's way. I want you to be safe, and the only way for that to happen is for you to stay out of this whole mess."

"Jane I-," was all she could say before he cut her off.

"Please don't do this. I need you to be safe," he pleaded.

"The letter was sent to my apartment, Jane. I can't go back now. Even if I don't go forward with this I'm in danger. They could kill me for receiving the letter, or they could use me to against you. They might think that they can use me to get what they want out of you since you're so adamant that I stay out of this."

Jane was silent for a moment as he paced Lisbon's apartment in the same manor she had done just moments before. "Alright Lisbon, we will do this together. I will stop at nothing to protect you though, and you must promise me that you will keep yourself safe. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if anything happened to you."

"I'm a federal agent, Jane. I put myself in harm's way for a living. You cannot ask me to make that promise, and I cannot ask the same of you. We will just have to do our best to protect one another. We will make it through this together."

"Okay Lisbon," he muttered. It was not easy for him to let her put herself in danger. In fact he couldn't stand it. This feeling of regret would haunt him along with many others. He should've known that it wasn't over when he killed Red John. It was only the beginning, the beginning of something bigger than they knew. They hadn't even known that The System existed until half an hour ago! They had to start planning. They had to know what to do if something went wrong. Heck, they had to know what to do period. It was going to be a long night. "We need to get a head start on planning. If more letters are coming we need to be ready for them, and we need to be prepared for the worst scenario."

"Goanna be a rough night I suppose," Lisbon replied.

"How about I make you some coffee, partner?"

"That would be great actually. I'll get started on the planning, though it's useless. You and I both know you're the mastermind."

"I'd like to think so." He chuckles a bit to himself. "I'll go make you that coffee."

A/N: How's that for an intro? I hope that you give this story a try. Feel free to review. It would be greatly appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own The Mentalist.

Chapter 2

Lisbon awoke the next morning to find her head in Jane's lap. She decided to ignore the awkward position and go back to sleep, but was jostled from her slumber only moments later.

"Lisbon," Jane shook her, "your cellphone is ringing." She sat up and answered it right away.

"Hello... Yes... Okay I'll be there shortly." That was the only part of the conversation that Jane heard, but he knew it meant they had a case. Hopefully it was nothing too extreme. This mysterious letter certainly took precedence in his mind.

"That was the FBI wasn't it? I assume we have a case," he stated.

"Yes, and we're going to be late if you don't get your lazy ass up off the couch. C'mon Jane! We can look over the letter later," Lisbon replied.

"Alright, alright"

The crime scene was in the middle of nowhere, meaning there were no witnesses. If you were going to dump a body somewhere in Texas this would be the place.

"What do we have?" Lisbon asked when she and Jane arrived at the crime scene.

"Two victims, a male and a female, were dumped here last night sometime around midnight. They were both tortured to death at a different location then dumped here. The guy died from multiple stab wounds. Before that he was beaten and starved. The woman was also beaten and starved, but judging by the ligature marks on her neck she was strangled to death. She was also raped," Fischer paused for a moment, "and there's something else. Both victims bear striking resemblance to the two of you."

"Is there anything else, Kim?" Jane asked, looking her straight in the eye. He couldn't bear to look at the crime scene any longer. The man that looked like him was a bit creepy, but what really frightened him was the woman. He couldn't help but picture Lisbon in that situation. The thought would give him nightmares for years to come.

"If you need a minute I understand," Fischer added.

"No we'll be fine," Lisbon answers. In truth she was far from fine. No one had mentioned it, but the man was cut up Red John style. She couldn't begin to wonder how Jane was coping with this. Then there was her look alike that had been tortured and raped. Dear God it was just plain sickening.

"Hey Lisbon," Cho greeted her, "are you feeling better? I know that crime scene had you a little shook up."

"I was not shook up. I'm fine."

"Has Jane ever told you that you're terrible at putting up a front?"

That caused Lisbon to crack a small smile. "Only about a million times"

"Look," Cho took a deep breath, "it's okay to feel a little shook up. Especially if one victim looks like your doppelgänger and the other has been cut up the way a serial killer you've hunted for years would've done it. You don't need to put up a front."

Lisbon smiled in response. "Thanks Cho." She turned around to leave and ran smack dab into Jane.

He said, "Hey Lisbon, I was just looking for you. Do you mind coming with me?" Before she could answer he pulled her off to the side away from any other FBI agents.

"Jane! You can't just swoop in and pull me away any time you deem necessary." An angry scowl occupied her face and she tapped her foot in frustration.

"Calm down Lisbon! You were just having a little chat with Cho. It's no big deal. You're acting like I pulled you away from the president," he complained. "I found some interesting similarities between us and the victims. The male was dressed exactly how I was the day before, and the female exactly like you. Every single detail. The woman even had a cross necklace just like yours. Also they were dumped there around the same time we read the letter. I think the killer was sending us a message."

"They don't want us listening to Red John. They want us to forget about The System."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own The Mentalist

Chapter 3

"Jane, this is too much."

"What do you mean?" he asks as he pushes past Lisbon and makes himself comfortable on her couch. Jane had decided, without warning her, to stop by after work.

"Don't play dumb with me. Patrick Jane you know what I mean," she responded in a stern tone.

"Try and remain calm Lisbon. I was hoping we could talk about something other than our new quest but suit yourself."

"Jane our lives are at stake. This isn't just your little game anymore. This is my problem too. I'm not going to look the other way or pretend nothing's happened to me, because it would make you feel better. We're in this together."

"You said it yourself Teresa, our lives are at stake. I'd rather it just be my life. You have so much more in this world.

"Jane, don't say that." In all honesty she didn't have much left in this life either, but that wasn't why she wanted to do this. She was sick and tired of Jane leaving her to sit on the sidelines while he played the game. She's a grown woman and she can protect herself.

"I don't want you to end up like that woman we found today. I," he stumbled over his words, "care about you." He almost said the l word, but he caught himself just in time. Now was not the time for such matters. "Just forget about it. Keep yourself safe."

"I'm strong enough to take care of myself. Stop treating me like a child!" she couldn't help but raise her voice. After all he'd done to her, he had no right to tell her how to live her life.

"I'm sorry I don't want to watch you throw your life away on something that would've never affected you had you not met me. This is my mess Teresa. Let me fix it!

"Do you see where you are? Do you see what you've become? You're turning into that Jane again, the one that shuts everybody out and only cares about personal vengeance. Red John is dead. This has nothing to do with your family!"

"It's not about that anymore! It's about keeping you safe god dammit! Why can't you understand that I only want what's best for you, Teresa?"

"What's best for me? What's best for me? You of all people! I stuck with you when any sane person would've left, and how do you repay me? By leaving me time and time again and shutting me out. You're a fool Jane."

Lisbon sits on the couch and takes a few deep breaths calm herself down. Jane is sat beside her with his head in his hands. It felt as though they'd had this argument a million different times but for other reasons.

"I'm done trying to stop you from continuing with this, but I will not stop trying to protect you. You're the only thing I have left."

"Alright," Lisbon replied. There was no winning with Patrick Jane.


End file.
